On Friday, February 2, 2018, Rolling Stone hosted one of the hottest events during the biggest weekend in sports – Rolling Stone Live: MINNEAPOLIS, with headlining performances by Grammy Award-nominated multi-platinum supergroup Migos. This year’s event is presented by Mercedes-Benz and produced by Talent Resources Sports, a full-service sports marketing and experiential events agency. This marks the fourth year Rolling Stone is partnering with Talent Resources Sports to produce its marquee event. For the first time, Rolling Stone is partnering with global music and entertainment platform, TIDAL, to livestream the highly anticipated performances. TIDAL X: Rolling Stone Live: MINNEAPOLIS adds to the growing list of live event programs that bring fans closer to their favorite artists. Local fans will be able to enter for a chance to attend, while fans globally will be able to tune-in.

Rolling Stone Live: MINNEAPOLIS, was held at the International Market Square, one of the most unique venues in the city, featuring a spectacular atrium with more than 4 floors of exquisite vantage points to view the stage.

“After celebrating 50 years of Rolling Stone in 2017, we are delighted to kick off the new year with our 7th annual event during the biggest weekend in football with the hottest name in hip-hop today – Migos. We’re thrilled that Mercedes-Benz has returned as our presenting sponsor this year in association with TIDAL to enhance this evening for our guests.” said Michael Provus, Chief Revenue Officer, Rolling Stone. “We’re excited about continuing to evolve our event driven marketing formula at the Big Game. Providing an excellent experience for our network of athletes, celebrities and influencers, remains our priority and we are looking forward to superseding expectations for our guests for yet another year” said David Spencer, Co-Founder, Talent Resources Sports.

Mercedes-Benz will be onsite showcasing some of the brand’s newest vehicles including the highly anticipated all-new 2019 G500 alongside two of the fastest vehicles in the line-up, the Mercedes-AMG GT R and Mercedes-AMG GT C Roadster. The brand will also provide transportation to the party for a number of VIP guests to ensure they arrive in style.

TIDAL’s commitment to connecting fans with their favorite musicians has spanned dozens of livestreams, thousands of ticket giveaways, and an extensive array of exclusive content – including: TIDAL X: Brooklyn, a star studded benefit concert; TIDAL X live streams from Chance the Rapper, Ty Dolla $ign, Alicia Keys and more; exclusive album premieres such as Beyoncé’s LEMONADE and Rihanna’s ANTI; unique content including 21 Savage’s 30 Days with 21 Savage, Rick Ross’ album annotations and more!

Friday night’s Rolling Stone magazine party at International Market Square was one of those Super Bowl week shindigs where the crowd spent more time looking around the room than it did watching the performances. Too bad, because the live sets by hip-hop stars Migos and T-Pain :

both were rock-solid, while the celebrity spotting was very good.

A grab-bag array of guests hung out in the roped-off VIP areas at the center of IMS’s four-story rotunda, from TV practitioner Dr. Oz, to Olympic gymnast Aly Raisman, and actress Kim Delaney:

to Timberwolves players Karl-Anthony Towns:

and Shabazz Muhammad :

The most impressive array of faces in the crowd at the invite-mostly affair was predictably the roster of NFL players not resting up for Sunday’s game, from current competitors Odell Beckahm Jr. (New York Giants):

Having the league’s all-time leading rusher in attendance led to the party’s highlight moment. Wrapping up their wickedly fun but seriously tight 35-minute set, the members of Migos launched into their song “Emmitt Smith” with the man himself sitting to the side of the stage, looking as excited as he did during all those trips to the end zone. “He’s been with us since the beginning,” Migos rapper Quavo bragged as he bear-hugged Smith, then launched into the verses: “50, 40, there he go / 30, 20, down the sideline.” Quavo and his bandmates Offset and Takeoff came to the Rolling Stone party the same week their faces graced the cover of the magazine’s latest issue.

Above Photo : Migos posed on the red carpet at the Rolling Stone Magazine VIP party at the International Square Market on Friday night, February 2, 2018, on in Minneapolis, Minn.

The Atlanta trio proved worthy of the honor, delivering the best tracks off their newly issued third album, “Culture II,” including the sputtering “Walk It Talk It” – a perfect pre-game warm-up/throw-down – and “MotorSport.” The latter spotlighted the well-honed, hot-potato-like, mic-passing lyrical interplay between the bandmates, also heard in the older faves “Bad and Boujee” and “Slippery.” It’s about time we have a true group for rap stars again, instead of all the individual players.

In his 45-minute opening set, the truly one-of-a-kind T-Pain showed more energy than all three Migos members combined, running back and forth on the stage like he wanted to get on the Eagles’ defensive roster before Sunday’s game. The veteran Florida rapper dropped in some of the big hits on which he was a featured guest, including Flo Rida’s “Low” and Lil Jon’s “Snap Yo Fingers.” His own PC-challenged standards like “Buy You a Drank” and “FBGM” went over well, too, although Dr. Oz might have had a thing or two to say about them if he was listening in the crowd.